[Pål Jensen]

Personally I think Pentax made some very nice moves this year. They have a nice entry level (K-01), a great mid level camera (K-30) and tweaked the high end camera with a few improvements. The disappointment is that the flagship camera wasn't a massive upgrade but are the new CaNikon models kicking the crap out of the K-5 and K-5II? They obviously need to bring out a new flagship camera but I'm not sure if the development costs were worth the cost and time. It's likely that introducing a totally redesigned camera now would have meant delays for the next potential game changer (like a FF). They don't have unlimited R&D.

I'm also excited by how many new lenses are on the roadmap next year and most of them don't make a lot of sense unless there is a FF.

I agree with your first part but the last sentence doesn't make much sense; all the roadmapped lenses are designated DA and none seem to make much sense as FF lenses. However, I expect the FF lenses to be on the 2014 roadmap...

[Pål Jensen]

yes, because "Shock and Awe" is exactly what it's going to take for Pentax to make another real mark in this industry (and I don't mean the K-01 kind). But I fear Pentax doesn't have enough bombs (again, not the K-01 kind).

by the time the FF K-mount DSLR and first lenses are actually available for sale, the big two will be announcing their 6D/D600 Mark IIs.

Pentax main problem is not the products but marketing and distribution...

[boriscleto]

Pentax main problem is not the products but marketing and distribution...

I've had a salesman flat out tell me that they don't carry Pentax because they can't sell it. People tell them they want it in store then they don't buy. Too many people want to handle a Pentax in the store then buy for the cheapest price they can find online.

[Na Horuk]

But a part of that is local advertising. If you only find out about Pentax online (by doing research) then you will probably buy it online. But if you see ads about it in store X or store Y, then you will check out those stores and probably get it there, especially if the store can provide warranty and repair services. Unfortunately, often they don't have any of that, only a camera on display and even the salespeople don't know much about it. So people never get an interest. Pentax needs to market their product to the stores, and then the people (or have the stores market it to the people). Marketing also exists between companies, not only between producers and final buyers.

[Dave L]

Maybe they just didn't feel a need to upgrade, since the D7000, D300S, 60D and 7D have not been replaced.

Yes, perhaps the Worldwide economic downturn is a major factor too. Times have changed, hi-tech product cycles generally have probably stretched out quite a bit, too. Even for Canikony.

I've had a salesman flat out tell me that they don't carry Pentax because they can't sell it. People tell them they want it in store then they don't buy. Too many people want to handle a Pentax in the store then buy for the cheapest price they can find online.

Surely that (apart from the first sentence) applies to all expensive camera brands? Methinks said salesman had no real idea why they don't stock Pentax, so he made something up.

[Smeggypants]

What ever happened to just being happy?

Why is "new" so exciting to you lot?

Hugs his K10, carries on with life :P

becuase the corporates indoctrinate the consumers, through techniques pioneered by Edward Bernays to consume on 'want' rather than 'need'

If we all stopped buying new stuff, the economy would collapse, most jobs would be lost, law and order would break down, etc,etc

so keep consuming folks!!!

[boriscleto]

Surely that (apart from the first sentence) applies to all expensive camera brands? Methinks said salesman had no real idea why they don't stock Pentax, so he made something up.

The last sentence is my own conjecture. The salesman is a pro who shoots weddings and sports almost exclusively with Canon. The last time I was in the store all they hade other than Canon and Nikon were a few Sonys and an Olympus Pen. They have a few Fujis now too. They push Canon even over Nikon because of the support Canon gives them. For example, every few months Canon holds a class on using a DSLR. The cost is $20 but at the end of the class you get a $20 coupon for the store.

[Alizarine]

I've had a salesman flat out tell me that they don't carry Pentax because they can't sell it. People tell them they want it in store then they don't buy. Too many people want to handle a Pentax in the store then buy for the cheapest price they can find online.

I can only speak for the market where I am in - and in this case, the reason why we flock to stores here mostly for just testing is because the local distributor is ignoring the fact that Pentax customers know the products' prices in the world market and their ridiculous pricing just doesn't make sense to us (e.g. the K-5/c here still sells for a "discounted" price of $1,321 equiv.). This for current Pentax customers; non-Pentax ones then find Pentax products being a lot pricier than CaNikon here and that doesn't help Pentax either.

And to think all Pentax bodies from the Q to the 645D are made here...

[abacus07]

I agree with your first part but the last sentence doesn't make much sense; all the roadmapped lenses are designated DA and none seem to make much sense as FF lenses. However, I expect the FF lenses to be on the 2014 roadmap...

Do you really think they are going to put FF designations on a lens roadmap if they haven't announced a FF camera?

The biggest lens needs for FF are on that roadmap. Wide, normal and telephoto zooms with a TC.

[MSM]

I am definitely hanging in there. The problem is really the threads the preceded Photokina (for the last three months probably), predicting huge steps forward. If those weren't there, then people wouldn't be so bothered when Pentax basically took a small step forward, rather than a bigger step forward.

Agreed. Wasn't there a Pentax rep. quoted here as saying to the effect we are going to be 'wowed' at Photokina? Hopes are always too high.

[derekkite]

I am definitely hanging in there. The problem is really the threads the preceded Photokina (for the last three months probably), predicting huge steps forward. If those weren't there, then people wouldn't be so bothered when Pentax basically took a small step forward, rather than a bigger step forward.

We do have some new things. The 560, a new Q, a new coating, re-issue of the K5. A new focus drive technology, and a lens with stabilization. The k30 is just barely in stores. I'd say that it has been a pretty good year so far. The only thing on the road map left is the TC, which is going to sell well.

I'm not in the market for a $2k+ body, so I'm not disappointed.

[repaap]

In Finland, we have just handful of shops that are selling Pentax, and just one shop, where you can see and handle almost all existing lenses available for pentax...I loved that. Their prices are more that at web, but you could just go in buy the lens/camera you want, and begin shooting with it. Not like from web, and you actually can see with your own eyes that prroduct and try it out. I wish this kind a shops would be more. But as people here said, we usually buy things from web. Shopkeepers end up with cameras and lenses collecting dust...not so exiting for that dealer. So something else has to change too. For example we had in our small city a camera sales man who had Pentax stuff. Don't have anymore, that camera stayed at shelf for quite a long time...

[zapp]

Thanks Adam. Of note, this is encouraging:

Pentax representatives that we talked to couldn't refute that those who are patient will be rewarded with some great Pentax products in the future!* It may be tempting to switch to another brand now that both Canon and Nikon have affordable full-frame bodies, but there are certain things that even they cannot beat Pentax at, and that's why we're confident that Pentax will be making a big comeback under Ricoh's leadership.

For now they have dropped all FA lenses from their line. So full frame is as dead as can be or ready for a bunch of new lenses and a camera.
There are not many things anymore that Pentax cannot be beat at...
Stop talking: DELIVER

[gazonk]

For now they have dropped all FA lenses from their line.

No, they haven't. Why do you say that?

[zapp]

No, they haven't. Why do you say that?

The current Pentax lens prosepctus at photokina does not list any FA lenses. I did not see any FA lens on display either. This makes perfect sense as these lenses use old, loud AF mechanisms, are overengineered for APS-C sensors and even the optical formulae could be better for digital use. You can probably still buy the lenses for quite some time. The best hope we can have are decent replacements in the near future, but so far there is not even a road map. Most guys here will probably need a proper phase out announcement from Pentax before they face the obvious.
In some countries the FA 2/35 and the 1.4/50 are still listed, probably due to negligence or becaue some left over stocks remain to be sold.

What I have not mentioned yet - the DA 2.8/14 is also missing in the current line up.

The next announcement by Pentax will be big:

1: They may go out of business
2: Pentax presents a FF camera with a new set of FA lenses
3: Pentax announces a full range of APS-C lenses, meaning that FF is out of a question
3a: The new APS-C camera becomes an EVF competing against MFT and FT cameras - btw: congratulations to Leica they bridged 40 years of SLR mayhem with their wide angle camera which is now again the prototypic new camera for all full frame EVF cameras.